Electrical cleaning means



Aug. 31, 1948. E. H. R. PEGG 2,448,045

ELECTRICAL CLEANING MEANS Filed July 6, 1945 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,448,045 ELECTRICAL CLEANING MEANS Edward H.lt. Pegg, Cranford, N. 1., Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

burgh, Pa.., a corporation of Pennsylvania,

assignor to East Pitts- Application July 6, 1945, Serial No. 603,510

electrical dust-precipitator while maintaining the volume of air cleaned per unit time, the.

velocity of the air through the unit must be increased, or the plate-electrode spacing decreased, or the surfaces of the plate-electrode coated so as to prevent blow-off", of precipitated dirt, or a combination of these features used.

Closer spacing of the plate-electrodes is preferred. This means that the dirt-holding capacity of the plate-assembly is decreased. Consequently, an electrostatic dust-precipitator which is installed in an air-conditioning duct of a railway car must be cleaned more often and more thoroughly than a unit having larger and more widely spaced plate-electrodes. For good cleaning and in order to permit placing the electrostatic dust-precipitator in the most convenient place, it is desirable to provide an automatic plate-cleaning means which periodically removes the precipitated dust from the dust-collecting plate-electrodes. By using a suitable flushing fluid, a thin film remainson the surfaces of the plate-electrodes, after drainage, for retaining subsequently precipitated dust-particles and also to make it easier to wash precipitated dirt from r the plate-electrodes the. next time they are flushed. A

An automatic system for periodically washing dust-collecting plate-electrodes of an electrostatic dust-precipitator with clean liquid is disclosed and claimed in the joint. application of G W. Penney and G. W. Hewitt, Serial No. 544,581, filed July 12, 1944. Another system of the same general type is disclosed and claimed with varying specificness in another application by the same inventors, Serial No. 603,503, filed concurrently herewith.

The last-mentioned application describes a system which comprises a tank or reservoir adapted to hold a body of liquid, and a loop-circuit in which liquid from thetank is recirculated recirculating during spaced intervals the tank. The loop-circuit to the tank and extends above it. The loop-' circuit includes a pump, upstanding dust-collecting plate-electrodes of an electrostatic dustprecipitator, and a plate-cleaning means com= prising a nozzle-device which can be moved across the top of the dust-collecting, Plate-electrodes when the pump is recirculatingplatecleaning liquid in the loop-circuit. The arrangement is such that when the pump is started, it withdraws liquid from the tank and recirculates it in the loop-circuit, the system automatically controlling the amount of liquid withdrawn. The liquid flushes the surfacesof the dust-collecting plate-electrodes, removing .dust collected on them. When the pump is stopped, the liquid of the loop-circuit flows. back into the tank with a very minor part of the liquid remaining in the bottom of the loop-circuit. Between the intervals of plate-electrode cleaning, the liquid in the tank is itself cleaned. The system is so arranged that only cleaned liquid is withdrawn from the tank for recirculation in r the loop-circuit during the next plate-cleaning operation.

An object of my invention is to provide a system of the type described having parts which are detachably associated for forming the loopcircuit but separable so that some of them can be separated from the others when the system is not being used for cleaning the plate-electrodes. That part of the system including the dust-collecting plate-electrodes is carried on a railroad car or a similar place of limited space, while the other part can be manually attached thereto for completing the system whenever de--. sired. Consequently, fewer parts need be carried by the railway car, and these parts .do not have any liquid accumulations. In accordance with this aspect of my invention, the part placed in .the railway car consists essentially of the aircleaning electrostatic dust-precipitator and the upper portion of the loop-circuit comprising the nozzle-device and associated parts travellable over the dust-collecting plate-electrodes of the dust-precipitator. The remaining parts of the apparatus, comprising the liquid-holding tank and the lower portion of the loop-circuit, are contained in a portable wheeled vehicle. The two portions of the loop-circuit can be detachably connected so as to result in a more complete system such as described hereinbeiore. A big advantage of subdividing the system in accordance with my invention resides in the and then returned to is completely external communication with liquid thereinl The pipe I33 preferably is above the sloped bottom H9 in which sludge isdeposited, and a horizontal baffie-plate I35 ma -extend across the tank-compartment for further preventing disturbance of the sludge when the pump is operating. The'intake of the pump is also connected to a piping means comprising a hose I31 which terminates in a detachable connector I39 that fits the connector 8| of the drain pipe 19. A hose I4I has one end connected to the outlet of the ump I29, and the other end terminating in a detachable connector I43 which fits the connector I01 on the pipe I05. The hoses I39 and MI are of some length but can be conveniently coiled inside the compartment II1 which is closed by a cover I45. The motor I3I is provided with power-conveying cord I5I which terminates in a plug I55 adapted to be plugged into a conveniently-located receiving plug I51 parallelly connected to conductors 65. The cord I5I can also be conveniently coiled in the compartment II1.

In operation of the system, the vehicle I09 can be brought up to a railway car having an electrical dust-precipitator which is to be, cleaned. The closing caps on the ends of the pipes 19 and I05 can be removed, and the hoses I31 and HI, respectively, connected thereto. The plug I55 may be plugged into the receiving plug I51 so that the motor I3I will be energized whenever the motor 03 is energized. When both motors are energized, the pump draws liquid out of the tank compartment H5 and recirculates it in a loop-circuit including the pump, the hoses MI and I02, the nozzle-device 34, the dust-collecting electrodes, the pipe 19, and the hose I31; the liquid recirculating in this path and washing the dust-collecting electrodes. When the pump stops operating, the liquid drains from the parts in the railway car into the tank compartment II5. Valves I59 may be provided for closing oil the hoses I31 and MI when liquid is not being recirculated in the loop-circuit.

After the plate-electrodes of the dust-precipitating means I have been cleaned, the hoses I31 and MI may be disconnected and replaced by caps which close the pipes 19 and I05. It is obvious that the pipes 19 and I should be conveniently located on a railway car.

When the vehicle I09 is not in use, it may be transported to any convenient power supply for energizing the spaced electrodes of the liquidcleaning means I2I for cleaning the liquid in the tank compartment I I5. Sludge may be periodically removed through drains IBI.

While I have described my invention in the form which is now preferred, it is obvious that it is subject to wide modification, and that the basic concepts and teachings of the invention can be different applied to systems disclosed in the applications mentioned herein or in equivalent orother systems.

I claim as my invention:

1. A system of a type described comprising two separable parts at least one of which is portable independently of the other, a first of said parts comprising an electrostatic dust-precipitator for cleaning a gas-flow, comprising a plurality of spaced dust-collectingelectrodes, means for discharging a liquid into the spaces between said dust-collecting electrodes, a liquid supply pipe to said liquid discharging means, having a first mateable connector, and a liquid collecting means below said dust-collecting electrodes, hav- 6 ing a second mateable connector; a second'oi said parts comprising a tank, a pump having an inlet. and an outlet, pipe means extending to said pump inlet and to a lower part of said tank, said pipe means also comprising a return hose, pipe means connected to said pump outlet, comprising a supplyhose, said supply and return hoses having detachable connectors respectively detachably attached to said first and second mateable connectors in the first of said parts. v

2. The invention of claim 1 in which said second part comprising a manually-portabl wheeled vehicle.

3. A system of a type described comprising two separable parts, a first of said parts comprising an electrostatic dust-precipitator for cleaning a gas-flow, comprising a plurality of spaced dust-collecting electrodes, a nozzle-device spanning a minor fraction of the spaces between said dust-collecting electrodes, means comprising an electricmotor, for moving said nozzle device across said plurality of dust-collecting electrodes, an energizing circuit for-said motor, comprising a plug,- a supply pipe connection for said nozzledevice, having a first mateable connector, and liquid-collecting means below said dust-collecting means, having asecond mateable connector; a second of said parts comprising a wheeled vehicle which is portable independently of the first of said parts, said vehicle carrying a tank, a pump having an inlet and an outlet, an electric motor for said pump, pipe means extending to a lower part of said tank and to said pump inlet, said pipe means also comprising a return hose, pipe means connected to said pump outlet and comprising a supply hose, said supply and return hoses having detachable connectors respectively detachably attached to said first and second mateable connectors in the first of said parts, said pump motor having a plurality of power-feeding conductors terminating in a plug mated with the plug of said energizing circuit in the first of said parts.

4. A system of a type described comprising two separable parts, a first of said parts comprising means for removing dust from a flowing gas, said means comprising washable dust-collecting means, means for discharging a liquid onto said dust-collecting means for washing said dustcollecting means, a liquid supply pipe to said liquid discharging means, having a first mateable connector, a liquid collecting means below said dust-collecting means, having a second mateable connector; a second of said parts comprising a tank, a pump having an inlet and an outlet, pipe means extending to said pump inlet and to a lower part of said tank, said pipe means comprising a return pipe, pipe means connected to said pump outlet, comprising a supply pipe, said supply and return pipes having detachable connectors respectively detachably connected to said first and second mateable connectors in the first of said parts, said parts being movable independently when said connectors are separated.

5. A system of a type described comprising two separable parts, a first of said parts comprising an electrostatic dust-precipitator for cleaning a gas-flow, comprising a washable dust-collecting means, means for discharging a liquid onto said dust-collecting means for washing said dustcollecting means, a liquid supply pipe to said liquid discharging means, having a first mateable connector, a liquid collecting means below said dust-collecting means, having a second mateable connector; a second of said parts being a vehicle portable independently of said first part, and comprising a tank, a pump having an inlet and an outlet, pipe means extending to said pump inlet and to a lower part of said tank, said pipe means. comprising a return pipe, pipe means connected to said pump outIet, comprising a supply pipe, said supply and return pipes having detachable connectors respectively detachably attached to said first and second mateable connectors in the first of saidparts, said tank having meansfor cleaning liquid stored therein.

6". A system of a type described comprising two separable parts, a first of said parts comprising means for removing dust from a flowing gas, comprising washable dust-collecting means, traveling'means for progressively discharging a liquid into said dust-collecting means for washing said dust-collecting means, means comprising an electric motor for operating said traveling means power supply conductors for said electric motor, a separate electric plug means connected to said power supply conductors, a. liquid supply pipe to said traveling means, having: a first mateable connector, and a liquid collecting means below' said dust-collecting means, having a second mateable: connector; a second of said parts being a portable vehicle and comprising a tank, a pump having an inlet connected to said tank and an outlet, an electric motor for operating said pump, conductors connected to said electric motor having a plug means detachably connected to the first said plug: means, pipe means having a portion directed to convey liquid into a part of said tank, said pipe means comprising a return pipe, pipe means connected to said pump outlet, comprising asupply pipe, said supply and return pipeshavingdetachable connectors respectively detachably connected to said first and second mate-able connectors in' the first of said parts.

EDWARD H. R. PEGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,828,631 Whitney Oct, 20, 1931 1,865,245 Goodloe June 28, 1932 2,163,804 Passler June 27', 1939 2,277,513 Eddy Mar. 24', 1942 2,333,551 Pegg Nov. 2, 19433 

